The Tallman family includes a very wealthy Janesville family. The Fox (Fuchs) family of Lemans Corp. Lemans founder, Fred Fox Mother was a Tallman. Has anyone thought about asking them to contribute some resources to repair/restore (their) building?

My favorite is the toilet room. 5 people could use it as once!

They had running water and a double sink in the master bedroom. It was roof top water (yuk) but still running. They had some big monster heater too.

frogger, the Tallman House is not open during the coldest winter months. I believe it is still winterized and unheated annually. If you replace materials carelessly, or perform ad hoc repairs using inappropriate paints or wood, you risk losing the site's historic designation. There are rules and professional standards for a reason. Unfortunately, in the case of such notable architecture, a community effort is not really possible.
.
The Tallman House is not just part of Janesville's history, it's a spectacular example of Italianate architecture of the era, and because the family essentially mothballed it early last century, it was never remodeled for modern conveniences, leaving most of it in very close to its original state. This is as rare and valuable as an undamaged Greek vase.

frogger
Dec 29, 2009 at 11:43 a.m.
Suggest removal I heard the city wouldn't let RCHS paint the trim that is real bad because they don't have a licence for historic restoration. I think that is a bunch of bs. It is just white and is in desperate need of white paint. Let them paint it!

The roof doesn't need to be original copper if you ask me. Save some of it for a display and say once this is how it was done. In these times you understand it cannot be done that way again. Put some steel on it and be done with it. I am sure you can get some faux copper look nowadays. Turn the old copper in for some cash. Seems it is $2 a pound to recycle.

I would much rather spend money on fixing what we have than building tunnels for those that cannot look both ways before crossing when no traffic is present!

Woody ALL homes are money pits. You must maintain them or they'll fall down!

I would also like to add:
I looked at the pictures and I am now confused about the roof. They call it TIN! I thought is was copper and SO expensive to replace?

I have the same problems with those squirrels. When it is black bird season they'll be fighting for that hole. They should at least put wire mesh up there for now to close the hole! Yes it isn't historically correct but you need to keep them out! Maybe it is historically correct! How did they fix this problem in the olden days? I tried a bb gun once but couldn't hit the squirrel. He just poked his little head out like in this picture and I swear LAUGHED at me!" You missed me, na na na na na na"!

You cannot go see the third floor anymore and look out the cupola.

Wedding would be great to have there BUT I have seen wedding that make a MESS! I know a place in Seattle and they do Bridal showers. Maybe this could work. If it was nice weather they could do the wedding on the grounds. That would be cool.

They could save TONS of money if they would insulate. There are ways to get down the walls w/o disrupting anything. They say maybe it isn't "historically correct" to do this. Sorry we have new history and it is called saving green. There is newspaper like stuff that wont hurt anything. $3000 a month in the winter to keep it 60! Focus on energy has credits to do this and I don't know if they can get a tax credit from the Government or not.

I think they got the city council out of a crackerjack box, not a stinking one of them have a clue about squat. I think my 4 and 7 year old can run the city better.

I say stop buying properties to make parks out of that we don't need and use that money to help maintain the Tallman house, this is apart of Janesville's history and should stay that way.

I think this is just a shame. This is a piece of Janesville's history. The Tallman's donated it, with the promise that it would remain that. How dare the city discuss not keeping this property now that it has become a drain due to their own lack of up keep. They had no problem accepting the property when they assumed it would bring potential income. And as far as the annual upkeep? If the bushes are over grown and the place un-kept, someone obviously isn't doing their job. I know that if I didn't do my job, I wouldn't get a paycheck, why should the city get paid for things that are not done? It makes no sense. We have hundreds of properties in this city worth preserving and yet, they go neglected while we approve millions for a skating rink? Who is making these decisions? Where is the common sense?

It could make a lot of money if they allowed weddings and wedding receptions there.

Well spoken Jansevillean. Kudos to you!

I must say, some of the other comments made here sound completely childish. Anyone who states "DanMan" tear it down, does not deserve to breath the same air as this historical landmark. This is Janesville's history your desicrating. To compare it to Andreas barn says it all about the extremist personality making such a fool hardy comment. Obviously you "BBB" know nothing about architecture. It infuriates me to see this mentality.

Brad Cantrell believes in Janesville, which is more than I can say for most of the commenters on Gazettextra. He's also very aware of how historic preservation fits into economic development.
.
The RCHS really should try to market the house better. I don't think there's one billboard advertising it, and the 30-year-old "T" directional signs around town have mostly faded if they remain. That said, house museums and museums generally have seen declining attendance in an era of virtual tourism via the web. Some co-marketing of the historic districts would also be a good idea.
.
Nor is this simply a taxpayer expense. The last renovation, which was intended to be the first of multiple phases, was underwritten largely by an anonymous donor. Due to the financial problems surrounding that situation -- the contractor went bankrupt and the society was left struggling to repay construction liens -- there has been an obstacle to fundraising on a similar scale. Meanwhile the maintenance that the city should have been doing kept getting deferred, making any repairs more expensive in the long run.
.
The Tallman House should be the centerpiece, the pride and joy, of a city that knows its history and its importance as an agricultural and manufacturing center. I do hope the city can brainstorm some ways to start moving back in that direction.

I had the privilege to work on the Tallman House nearly a decade ago. It was disturbing to see the failing condition back then. When I visited it a couple of seasons ago at the art fair held there, I was overwhelmed to see even the simplest things like trimming shrubs back were not being done, along with the obvious severe structural damage, it sickend me. This is a Wisconsin treasure, not just Janesville and Rock County. I believe any measures necessary should be taken NOW to repair this magnificent building. The urgency should be high.

Cantrell is also on the board of the Downtown Development Alliance Inc. which it seems is very close to Forward Janesville.

http://www.janesvilledesign.com/Developm...

I'm sure there are some Forward Janesville Members that are contractors that could use some work and money. The money will come from the tax payers.

Turn it back to the Tallman family and let them deal with it..Taxpayers don't need another albatros hanging around..

Yeah a childrens museum, just what Janesville needs is another white elephant.

I think it would make a good children's museum.

Tear it down if it can't support itself. That was the case with Andreas barn. Or am I confused? Anytime you see Cantrell involved, you can count on it costing the taxpayers.

Give it back to the Tallman family.